The 7 Things I Like About You
by barricadebabes
Summary: 7 things Eponine loves about Combeferre. And vise versa.
1. Eponine's List

**7 Things Eponine Loves About Combeferre**

** 1. **His faith. Only trusting words fall from the lips of Combeferre. He believes in everything. God, humans, and that good will always prevail. He not only believes in change, but he remembers to prepare for it.

And best of all, he believes in Eponine. When he tells her this she walks away, refusing to believe it. Eponine knows she has a twisted soul. That she's done wrong and has been wronged too many times to have any compassion left. She's too broken; no good can come of her. But Combeferre argues that she is still virtuous and that she is brilliant. He thinks she can also do great things. Nobody has ever made her feel that she was born for a reason. But Combeferre sees purpose in everyone, even fuck-ups like Eponine.

**2**. She doesn't say anything… but he makes her believe too.

**3. ** Light is the best way to describe him, her life can only be described as cold and dark before she was introduced her to the Amis. Enjolras may be the radiant one, but she thinks it is only because Combeferre shares his fire with the rest. He illuminates their minds with remarkable words and philosophy. Then warms their hearts with kindness and embraces. And when he grins at her, she swears that it feels like sunlight kissing her face.

**4. **He gives Eponine books. And he's always sure to put in little post-it notes at the beginning saying that he hopes she will enjoy the book, and then at the end to explain why he thought of giving her that story. The ones with plucky, curious heroines always seem to remind him of her. She likes that.

** 5. **Once she walked into the Café Musain and saw him teaching Gavroche how to play chess. He let the kid win and then bought him a celebratory muffin. That's the day she figured out she was totally screwed.

**6. **He has this way of running his fingers over her wrists. And her hips. And the base of her neck. He's just got this way of paying attention to the smallest details. The freckles on her shoulder fascinate him. A scar on her knee enthralls him. So of course when they make love, he's the most attentive lover in the world. He takes his time exploring her body, making mental maps of her curves and blemishes. And then he becomes the world's most gentle conqueror.

**7. ** When Eponine panics and feels things are too good to be true (in her experience, they always are), he holds her and whispers "I love you. I'm here" into her ears until all her thoughts of running away have subdued. He promises not to leave her alone, ever. For the first time in her life, she believes it.


	2. Combeferre's List

**7 Things Combeferre Loves About Eponine**

1. From the first day she walked in the café with Marius, Combeferre knows he likes her. She walks with purpose, her head is always held high and her steps are brisk. When she enters a room she always looks like she feels completely at home. He thinks she must have been a queen in a past life.

2. Eponine talks a lot. Maybe there are other men who would find this unattractive but he likes it. It's nice to sit back and listen to her chattering. She's a good storyteller and when it's his turn to talk, she always asks good questions. She's insightful, that one. And she likes to learn. It's a good thing he loves to teach.

3. Eponine loves music. She makes mix tapes (she calls them that even if everyone uses CDs instead now. She claims it sounds better when you call them tapes) for everyone and at all times. For heartbreak and exercising and for playing after having watched a scary movie and for the day that Courfeyrac's cat dies. Or just as gifts for her friends. She always puts so much thought into the songs she chooses and who she gives them to. Combeferre loves that. How thoughtful she is. And how she is so eager to give something of herself to the rest. He's got stacks of CDs at his house before they even start dating. And afterwards he just makes Eponine sing them for him instead.

4. She writes constantly. She won't let him see what it is most of the time, but she carries notebooks around everywhere she goes and copies poems down on napkins. She and Jehan write their favorite words on each other's arms and palms. Combeferre thinks she would make a good poet too. She's too impatient for writing novels, and has always preferred short stories. He loves that she can tell a good tale using only a few words. (Even if she is quite the opposite when speaking).

5. Eponine likes to go people-watching. She takes him to the park and they sit in silence, watching the world pass them by. Sometimes they make up lives for the people they find interesting, as if they were characters in a story the two are writing. She likes happy families best.

6. When Combeferre catches a cold one winter, she's the one who stays by his side. She brings him soup every day and they watch Inception and Forrest Gump together. When he tells her she should go before catching the sickness too she refuses.

"Someone has got to take care of you, especially since you're usually too busy taking care of everyone else to think of yourself."

He's known for a while that he loves her but this fills him with hope. He can't breathe. Oh. It's because he's coughing so hard.

Combeferre falls asleep but when he wakes up, she's in bed next to him, curled up against his chest. Maybe he does have a chance.

7. She says "I love you" first. Eponine is impulsive like that. And she can never keep her feelings to herself for too long.

She gives him a book (Wuthering Heights, he already owned it but chooses not to mention it) with a sticky note inside- I love you. But when he looks up she's already running out the door. He chases her down the street and pulls her in for a kiss. Like Heathcliff, he can't live without his soul. Unlike him, he doesn't have to.


End file.
